Winner Take All – Who’s Division 3’s Finest?

28 teams, 14 weeks, and 154 games later, we’re down to the top 2 teams in division 3: Laval’s Finest and Grip N Rip. No matter the result of Saturday’s showdown, both teams should be proud of their accomplishments and hang their heads high. All year, we’ve been treated to some great ball and awesome parity for the most part and we’re in for a hell of a finish in division 3!

SEMI-FINALS RECAP

CONFERENCE A FINAL

Laval’s Finest 19, The Brotherhood 18

This game was everything we expected. It was a hard-fought, defensive struggle that saw both teams grind out every yard they could get. In the first half, Theo Ojeaha led The Brotherhood to two touchdown drives and picked off Rod Mashtoub to save a 12-7 lead for his team at the half. With The Brotherhood starting with the ball in the second half, they had a chance to really take control of the game but had to punt. On the ensuing drive, Mashtoub threw an ill-advised pass down the left sideline and Ojeaha jumped in front of the pass for his second pick of the game, giving his team another chance at taking a two-score lead. Ojeaha led his offense down to the red zone with a few nice runs but couldn’t punch it in on fourth down as Mashtoub came up with a huge play for his team knocking down the ball. With his team still down 5, Mashtoub connected with Theo Bekelis on a corner route for the go-ahead score to go up 13-12. Then, it was Jordan McLaren’s turn to make a play as he jumped in front of Jamal Gittens and came up with a huge interception. A few plays later, Mashtoub got around Khalil Kerr and ran it in for six to make it 19-12 for Laval’s Finest. With only a few minutes left, Ojeaha drove his team down the field for a touchdown but couldn’t connect with Quaysie Gordon-Maule for the convert, a tough catch but a ball he should have caught. After Laval’s Finest went four and out, The Brotherhood had one last Hail Mary to try and win the game but Ojeaha’s throw didn’t reach the end zone. Just like that, Laval’s Finest punch their ticket to the finals.

CONFERENCE B FINAL

Grip N Rip 34, Ball Busters 8

After Grip N Rip scored on the opening drive to make it 7-0, they forced a Ball Busters four and out with the help of a critical 3rd down sack by Phil de Kovachich and scored on the ensuing drive to make it 14-0, before forcing another turnover on downs with Ball Busters threatening. GnR had four plays before the half but couldn’t punch it in and so the teams went to their respective sides of the field with the score still 14-0. Ball Busters started with the ball in the second needing a spark to get back into the game. Unfortunately for the boys in blue, Jason Prince had other plans as he read Dylan Taylor perfectly and ran back an interception for six. The convert made it 21-0 and it seemed like that was game. Taylor led his offense to their only touchdown on the next possession and converted for two to cut the lead down to 21-8. After Gualano punched it in to make it 28-8, Taylor, looking to score quickly, forced a ball down the left sideline that was picked off Gualano, who deked out a few guys Charles Woodson-style and ran it back to the house for GnR’s second pick-six of the day. With a 34-8 cushion, GnR kept the foot on the pedal and forced another pick, this time by Jordan Allard to ice the game, and stamp their ticket to the finals.

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A quick look back on what was the 2016 Winter Division 3 Season…

Top 3 Pleasant Surprises

Ball Busters

They claim top spot because I wasn’t expecting them to make the playoffs, let alone make the semi-finals. Great season overall and even though they lost a tough one to GnR, there’s only room to improve.

Jumpmans

This is a team that isn’t here so much for their 5-5 record, but more so for the way they played and how dangerous they were as a team, not to mention the fact that they boasted the WR of the year on their roster. With some team issues to end the season, it’ll be interesting to see if we ever see this Jumpmans team again.

Laval’s Finest

Yup, the finalists make the list at #3 because I wasn’t too sure what to expect when I looked at this roster in the preseason. The only names I recognized were Mashtoub and McLaren, and with those two on the team, I knew they’d be a tough competitive team. However, I wasn’t expecting a finals berth. Their supporting cast is very strong and they play a great brand of team football. They’ve earned their spot in the finals and they definitely look like they’re here to stay.

Top 3 Disappointments

Metamayhem

Their lack of success this year was probably the most shocking thing to me following their finals appearance last season. With a stronger roster this season, one can only wonder what went wrong with this team but they just never got on track.

OTF

After making the playoffs last season in their first season as a team, I expected OTF to make the postseason again and make some noise once in there. That didn’t happen as the OTF offense hit the 30-point mark just four times and lost three one score games.

Past Our Prime

The thing about POP is that year after year, you can always count on a resilient team that finds ways to win and make the playoffs. This season, we saw a huge drop off in production on both sides of the ball and that reflected in their -116 +/- you have to wonder if Past Our Prime need to add some players or possibly move down next year (although they would be dominant in div 4A so it’s tough to say..).

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Top 10 Games of the Year

#10. Week 11 – Jumpmans 32, F.O.E. 31

Why was it memorable?

With a win and you’re in situation for Jumpmans, they got the job done edging a tough opponent in F.O.E. With the victory, Jumpmans clinched a playoff spot, a spot they would later unfortunately give up due to a forfeit.

#9. Week 8 – 2HD 46, Fun Boys 12

Why was it memorable?

2HD looked undermanned going into this one against a hot Fun Boys team. The reason this game is on the list is because of how surprising it was to see 2HD just totally dismantle a talented team like Fun Boys.

#8. Week 2 – Grip N Rip 26, Fun Boys 24

Why was it memorable?

Fun Boys took a two score lead and it looked like Sean Avraam’s offense wouldn’t get it going. That’s when Grip N Rip made a switch that would be the turning point to their season, replacing Avraam with Gualano at QB and sticking Avraam at WR. Gualano led his team to a comeback victory capped off by a 7-yard scamper into the end zone on the very last play of the game and kickstarted their season.

#7. Week 3 – Wolfpack 55, Dirty Dawgs 54

Why was it memorable?

With Dirty Dawgs quarterback Ryan Lelinowski unable to make the game, Dirty Dawgs called up Sammy Feder from the Division 4A Coyotes to throw for them. The result was a back and forth aerial show between Feder and Pascal Murray. Both quarterbacks threw for 8 touchdowns as Wolfpack won by a single point.

#6. Week 6 – Laval’s Finest 52, Grip N Rip 47

Why was it memorable?

This isn’t just here because it features both finalists. No, this game was awesome. It featured Mashtoub and Gualano battling it out at the top of their games. Gualano made one costly mistake throwing a pick to Jordan McLaren, which ended up being the difference in this wild game. Hopefully, the final will live up to these lofty expectations!

#5. Round 1 Playoffs – Predators 64, Sea Assassins 46

Why was it memorable?

It was the much-anticipated rematch of the Winter 2014 D4 Finals as two explosive offenses clashed and did not disappoint, scoring a ridiculous 110 points combined, the second most points scored in an FPF playoff game.

#4. Round 1 Playoffs – Dark Moose Returns 33, 2HD 32

Why was it memorable?

Playoff games are emotional and often times come down to a few plays here and there. This game came down to one conversion at the very end of the game. After tying it with two plays remaining, Fred Morissette found Justin Blanchard for a one-pointer to take DMR to the next round.

#3. Round 1 Playoffs – The Brotherhood 27, Killer Instinct 26 (4OT)

Why was it memorable?

When The Brotherhood had squared off against Killer Instinct a few weeks prior, it was a hard-fought defensive struggle that saw both defenses shine. This game was as hard-fought and KI came to play, forcing overtime against the top seed and eventually losing in quadruple overtime in heartbreaking fashion.

#2. Semi-Finals – Laval’s Finest 19, The Brotherhood 18

Why was it memorable?

This game comes in at #2 because of its raw emotion, great finish and obviously for how high the stakes were. Two heavyweights went at it and every yard was earned. Both defenses were great and gave every opportunity to their offenses. With both quarterbacks struggling to do much of anything for much of the game, they both stepped up and scored when they needed to. First, Mashtoub ran it in to give his team the lead 19-12, and then Ojeaha answered to make it 19-18 with 5 plays to go but unfortunately for The Brotherhood, couldn’t connect with Gordon-Maule on the convert. A last ditch Hail Mary attempt fell short and Laval’s Finest was off to the finals.

#1. Round 1 Playoffs – Grip N Rip 27, Fun Boys 26

Why was it memorable?

The rematch of an earlier game that was lower on this list comes in at #1. Unbelievably the game ended even more dramatically than the first time around. With GnR down 26-19 and only one play to go, Gualano found Rich Humes in the end zone to make it 26-25. With one last play to try and save their season, GnR decided to be aggressive and go for the 2-point conversion and the win. Gualano moved around and tossed up a prayer. Sean Avraam went up high in the air in between defenders Phil Cutler and Liam Mahoney and somehow grabbed the ball and hung on for the insane comeback victory. A team of destiny?

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FINALS PREVIEW

#2 Laval’s Finest vs. #4 Grip N Rip

Previous Matchup: Laval’s Finest 52, Grip N Rip 47

Out of the Final Four, I believe these two teams will make for the best matchup. I can’t say I’m surprised both were able to knock out the #1 seeds of their respective conferences, because well, I did predict that exact scenario. Laval’s Finest dug deep to grind out a hard-fought comeback victory over a supremely talented opponent while Grip N Rip jumped on Ball Busters early and never looked back. While each team was impressive in their own way, what stood out is their knack of making critical plays when they needed to. Both teams don’t have any weaknesses that really stand out and while Laval’s Finest does have more explosive players, Grip N Rip is that team with the veteran players that just get it done. Both of these defenses have come a long way since that last 52-47 shootout and needless to say, I don’t expect the game to be quite as high scoring. Rod Mashtoub will be looking for his first FPF championship (his 1 championship on the website came with 6+R where he subbed one game) for his sophomore team. Can he continue to make the plays when he needs to? Vinny Gualano led Grip N Rip to a winter championship in division 4 last year. Can he repeat the feat in division 3?

Key Matchups:

Rod Mashtoub vs. Vinny Gualano: Both players are the quarterbacks for their respective teams and are also key defensive pieces. Whoever has the biggest impact on both sides of the ball will be on the winning side when all is said and done.

Vinny Gualano vs. Billy Makris: Makris will have to be on his game in this one. Gualano, unlike other athletic QB’s like Ojeaha or myself that he’s faced in the past few games, will take off a lot and use his legs whenever he can, not even thinking twice. His 340 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground this season prove that much. If Vinny runs wild, Laval’s Finest is in trouble. If not, they’re in business.

Jordan McLaren vs. can anyone on GnR stop this guy? : Last time the two teams played, McLaren went OFF and collected 136 yards on six receptions and scored four touchdowns, while also adding a crucial interception on defense. You think Grip N Rip will adjust their gameplan a little…?

Zach Zwirn, Theo Bekelis, Nick Bekelis and Sevag Kaloussian vs. GnR DB’s: It’s no secret that GnR will do everything in their power to shut down McLaren. With the added attention on him, the other four receivers will need to shine, which they’ve shown they can do time and time again this season. When stakes are highest, whose depth will outshine the other?

Prediction:

I’ve been on the GnR bandwagon all season long and predicted them to be here. I can’t say the same about Laval’s Finest, but I did get on the bandwagon midway through the season. After having played them twice this season, I saw first hand how great from top to bottom these guys are. Grip N Rip are also an extremely well-balanced team from top to bottom. The main difference between the two is that Mashtoub > Gualano and McLaren > anyone on Grip N Rip. That being said, Grip N Rip is made up of FPF vets that have won before and know how to win games, no matter how need to do it. Laval’s Finest showed a lot of grit in their game vs. The Brotherhood last week. I see this game being an amazing one that will live up to the hype. I can see the game go either way honestly and one bad turnover would likely spell a loss for either team. Both defenses will come to play this time around and it won’t be a 52-47 type of game. In the end, I flipped a coin to decide who will win this game. That is how torn I am on the winner. I truly believe it can go either way, and one play or two will decide the game’s outcome. Give me Laval’s Finest because of their incredible depth and talent on both sides of the ball.

Laval’s Finest 33, Grip N Rip 27

Best of luck to Laval’s Finest and Grip N Rip! If you want to reach me for any inquiries or to disagree with me, feel free to hit me up at [email protected] or DM me @JFloMusicMTL on Twitter.